Berkeley Chess School

Berkeley Chess School offers after-school chess classes, Friday Night Chess, Berkeley Bishops, camps, Sunday Morning Chess for Youngsters Fall 2026, and the BCS All Girls Chess Class (Queens). It also holds weekly chess tournaments during the academic school year and facilitates students’ participation in annual statewide competitions.

Programs

• After School Classes — K-12
• Friday Night Chess — K-12; all students must have completed kindergarten · Friday evenings; classes are 60 minutes from 5:30-6:30 p.m., followed by an optional USCF rated tournament from 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Berkeley's program is 4:30-6:30 · All participants must have previous chess experience. Current USChess membership is required. Early bird discount available if you register by midnight the Sunday before the first class.
• Berkeley Bishops — Sundays 1-3pm; 6-7 week sessions
• Camps — Camps offered throughout the entire Bay Area.
• Sunday Morning Chess for Youngsters Fall 2026 — Sundays 10:00 am-11:30 am
• BCS All Girls Chess Class (Queens) — Sundays 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

At a glance

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Current session: Sunday Morning Chess for Youngsters Fall 2026 (Oct 4–Dec 20, 2026); BCS All Girls Chess Class (Queens) (Oct 4–Dec 20, 2026); Monthly BCS Cash Quads! (Sep 19–Dec 19, 2026); Alameda K-12 Quads (Sep 20–Dec 20, 2026); BCS K-12 Quads (Sep 26–Nov 28, 2026); Walnut Creek K-12 Quads (Oct 10–Dec 12, 2026)

About the provider

Berkeley Chess School says it has been teaching children since 1982. The school says, “We teach all children... And we try to produce better citizens,” and it is described as “Best after-school program in East Bay.” Its chess programs are described as designed for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students of all ages, and it offers chess instruction to K-12 students in over 150 schools throughout the Bay Area.

Phone: (510) 843-0150. Office address: 2622 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702. Friday Night Chess requires previous chess experience and current USChess membership. For Friday night programs, all students must have completed kindergarten. All young students will be accepted on a provisional basis. The Berkeley Bishops are held in Berkeley at 2622 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, Ca, 94702.

What families say

“Thank you for giving my son & his cousin the opportunity to experience your program. They definitely walked away with skills they can use for a lifetime!” — What Parents Say about us

“On behalf of my daughter, I would like to thank everyone there for the tournament. My daughter had a great time. The experience was marvelous. She came home even more excited and determined about playing chess. Thanks so much for all of your hard work and tremendous effort! The event will remain with each and every child for the rest of their lives! Many, many thanks!” — What Parents Say about us

Last updated September 13, 2026.